Po polsku: Lanckorona
Looking for a village that feels like it stopped in time, only about 30-35 km from Kraków? Lanckorona is one of the most picturesque small towns in Małopolska. It lies above the Skawinka valley at around 500 m above sea level, a few kilometres from Kalwaria Zebrzydowska, and it is famous for its original 19th-century wooden houses and peaceful atmosphere.
Artists have been coming here for years, and I understand why. It is a place to walk slowly.
Where does the name Lanckorona come from?
There are two explanations. The name may come from two German words, Land (country) and Krone (crown), so „crown of the country”. Or it may come from the German knightly family Landeskrone, which had many estates in Lower Silesia (Dolny Śląsk).
According to legend, the settlement was founded by a knight from that family. In old documents the town also appears as Landskron. The Latin inscription on the town’s coat of arms says Landskoronensis.
A short history
Lanckorona began around the turn of the 12th and 13th centuries. German settlers founded a small village here, and a watchtower stronghold (gródek strażniczy) was built on top of Lanckorona Hill (Góra Lanckorońska). At first the place was recorded as Villa Hermani, probably linked to the name of the man who organised the settlement.
King Casimir the Great (Kazimierz Wielki) played a big part in its growth. From 1348 the border of the state ran along the Skawinka valley, and the king decided to build a stone castle in Lanckorona to protect the frontier. Building took place around 1359.
In 1361 the king allowed the town to be founded under Magdeburg law, a system of town rights. This was finally completed in 1366. Weekly Thursday markets were set up, and Lanckorona received several trading rights: to trade in Kraków and other royal towns, to cut timber within the town limits, to bring in beer for townspeople, and the staple right (prawo składu).
The parish church of the Nativity of St John the Baptist was, according to tradition, founded by Casimir the Great (the year given is 1336). Over the following centuries it was rebuilt many times.
In 1410 Zbigniew of Brzezie became the owner of Lanckorona. He was the forefather of the Lanckoroński family and Grand Marshal of the Crown. His descendants, who took the surname Lanckoroński, ruled the town after him: first Mikołaj, then the brothers Jan and Stanisław.
The town’s most prosperous time came under the Wolski family. Successive starostas (royal administrators) from this family helped the town and its surroundings flourish. In 1537, when Mikołaj Wolski managed the Lanckorona estates, King Sigismund the Old (Zygmunt Stary) confirmed the town’s privileges. He gave it the right to hold two fairs, one on St John’s day (June) and one on St Bartholomew’s day (August). He also moved the markets from Thursday to Sunday.
In the 17th century Lanckorona declined. During the Bar Confederation (konfederacja barska) the castle served the confederates as a base. In 1771 the Russian troops of Alexander Suvorov defeated them in battle, and a year later the confederates surrendered the castle to the Austrian army.
In 1797 Emperor Francis II confirmed the town’s privileges, established a town council (magistrat) and gave the town a coat of arms. It shows a laurel wreath topped with a crown, surrounded by the words Sigillum regiae civitatis Landskoronensis.
In 1934 Lanckorona lost its town rights.
Good to know
Polish artists have long appreciated the charm of Lanckorona. Among those who came here were Jerzy Nowosielski, Adam Hanuszkiewicz, Andrzej Wajda, Zofia Kucówna, Wojciech Pszoniak and Marek Grechuta.
Every year the town hosts the Easter Fair (Jarmark Wielkanocny), the St John’s Fair (Jarmark Świętojański) and Anioł w Miasteczku (Angel in the Little Town), a winter festival with a Christmas market.
My tip: wear comfortable shoes, because the streets are narrow and the walk up to the castle ruins is uphill.
Practical info
- Where: the foothills (Pogórze) above the Skawinka valley, about 30-35 km south-west of Kraków and a few kilometres from Kalwaria Zebrzydowska.
- Parking: free car parks next to the primary school and behind the Municipal Office (Urząd Gminy). At the parish church, worshippers have priority on Sundays. The streets in the centre are narrow and partly one-way.
- Castle ruins: on Lanckorona Hill, about 15-20 minutes on foot from the Market Square (Rynek). Entry is free, open around the clock. The walls were secured in 2023-2024.
- Fairs and festivals: Easter Fair (spring, opening the season), St John’s Fair (June) and the Christmas festival „Anioł w Miasteczku”. In 2026 the festival runs 11-13 December and the market 12-13 December (check before your visit).
- 660 years of town rights: in 2026 Lanckorona celebrates the 660th anniversary of its founding in 1366.
- More: turystyczny.lanckorona.net; events: gok.lanckorona.net
- Nearby: Lanckorona castle ruins, Lanckorona church, Wadowice.
Checked October 2026. Opening times and prices change, so please check before your visit.
Nearby: the pilgrim paths of Kalwaria Zebrzydowska. All guides: Kraków & Małopolska in English.
Łukasz, Niezwykła Małopolska